The present invention is directed to a system and method for flying an aircraft and, in particular, to a system that allows a pilot simultaneous access to stable and direct modes of flying the aircraft using two different inceptors, as well as providing a method for blending and fading in between the direct and stable mode for flying the aircraft.
Various rotary-wing aircraft can be flown in different modes of operation. For example, a fly-by-wire aircraft can employ a computer-assisted flight system in which a pilot indicates a flight parameter such as velocity, orientation, altitude, etc. for the aircraft and a computer determines what actions are to be taken at the flight surfaces of the aircraft to implement the pilot's indicated flight parameter. This mode of operation is generally implemented to provide a highly stable but less agile aircraft. In certain conditions, however, such as inclement weather, etc., the pilot needs to operate the aircraft in another mode in which the pilot has more direct control of the aircraft in order to react with more agility to the flight conditions. Previous approaches to providing two modes of operation provide a single inceptor with a button for the pilot to push to select the mode. However when the pilot pushes the button, there can be confusion as to which mode of operation the aircraft is currently in. Also, switching between modes of operation can be unpredictable and requires mental and physical agility on the part of the pilot.